Leaving District Twelve
by TheWhovianTribute
Summary: This is a story of what would happen if Katniss and Gale did actually leave Panem a few weeks before the 74th Hunger Games...


I am Katniss Everdeen, I am sixteen years old. I live in District twelve in the country of Panem. I love hunting, hunting is my escape. It's illegal but I hunt anyway; it's the best way to feed my family. I grab the bow my dad made before he died; it's stashed inside a log just outside of the fence. I grab it and run to the spot I always meet Gale; it's a rock cliff overlooking the forest. I met him near there a few years ago. I was heading back home when I found some snares on the ground, he jumped down from a tree and we introduced ourselves, he thought I said I was called catnip so he calls me that as an inside joke.

I sit on the rock swinging my legs back and forth over the cliff edge. If my dad were here, he would sit down and joke about falling over the edge and being attacked by a bear. My father was fun in his own way.

I sit there for a couple of minutes watching the sunrise before Gale emerges from the woods. "Hey Catnip," Gale calls out from behind me, smiling.

"Hey," I reply casually. He sits down right beside me. I've known him for quite a while now, we're close but not in the way you might think. Our families are poor and we rely on each other to help each other out. It's nice to know someone has your back; unlike in the Hunger Games.

The Hunger Games is a competion invented by the Capitol to let everyone know they're in charge. The Capitol is the capital of Panem, they country we live in. Panem is split into twelve Districts; each District is in charge of a certain thing. District one is in charge of luxuries like rubies and diamonds. District two is in charge of stonework and masonry. District three in in charge of electronics and electronic inventions. District four is in charge of fishing and the sea. District five specializes in electricity; it's a lot like District three. District six in in charge of transportation, mostly for the Capitol. District seven is in charge of lumber and paper. District eight is kind of like a base for Peacekeepers, Peacekeepers are a lot like the police; District eight makes their outfits and train them. District nine is in control of grain and factories. District ten is in charge of livestock and animal farming. District eleven is a lot like District nine; District eleven is in control of agriculture. District twelve; we're in charge of coal mining. In my opinion, District twelve is the most dangerous, because a lot of people die in the mines. Then there is District thirteen; District thirteen _was_ in charge of nuclear weapons. District thirteen was destroyed seventy four years ago when all of the Districts rebelled against the capitol. That's when the Hunger Games began.

We sit on the cliff edge for a few minutes before any of us talks. "We could go, you know; we could leave District twelve and live in the woods." Gale says.

"We wouldn't make it five miles," I reply. "

"Think about it," Gale says. "We could," He was cut short by a _thump, thump, thump _The sound of blades chopping the air.

"A hovercraft," I thought. But why would District six fly over District twelve? The only thing past District twelve is," wait, the only thing past District twelve are the ruins of District thirteen. Could the Capitol be doing something with District thirteen?

"Katniss," Gale hisses. "Get, down, now." I realize I'm still sitting on the cliff edge, they could easily see me. I get on my knees and scamper behind a tree. I lie down with my back against a tree catching my breath. I didn't move very far but I moved quicker than usual. After a few seconds I get down on my stomach and crawl over to where Gale is and sit next to him. We sit there for a few minutes before it passes by. Gale stands up and gives me a hand up, "why were they flying over us?"

I stand there for a few seconds, "Maybe they were going to District thirteen." I answer.

"Why would they go there?" asks Gale. "All that's there are mounds of charred rubble."

"I don't know," I say. "But that's the only thing beyond District twelve." We stand for a few minutes thinking about what the Capitol might be planning.

"We should start hunting," Gales notes. "We will need something to eat for the day."

I glance around and find a path that looks like some deer might take. "I'll go in that tree by the path and shoot any game that come by, okay?" I ask.

"Sure," he says. "I'll set some snares by the strawberry field. I'll pick some strawberries as well."

"Okay, meet back here at noon?" I ask.

"Okay, shoot straight Katniss," he winks as he leaves.

I put my father's bow on my back as I grab hold of the lowest branch on the tree. I barley have to jump to grab it. I pull my-self up and nestle myself on a branch with a good view of the forest. I decide to close my eyes and listen to the sound of the birds.

I wake up to the sound of feet crunching the leaves in the distance. I notch an arrow and aim to the sound. I look down and see Gale sitting at the base of the tree, sleeping. I turn back to the noise, hoping it's a good sized buck. That would be a meal that would last for days!

I see the source of the noise, but it's not a deer; nor a rabbit or even a squirrel. It looks human-like. As it comes closer I can make out the word 'PEACEKEEPER' written on the man's white shirt. I see more and more Peacekeepers emerge from the woods with riot shields and guns…


End file.
